Gordon tries to gear up for surprise return
Jeff Gordon INDIANAPOLIS — always expected to be at this weekend’s Brickyard 400.
The tricky part was figuring out his role.
One week after Gordon asked his publicist to delay a long-planned announcement that he would drive the pace car before a race he won five times, the fourtime Cup champion returned to the 2.5-mile oval as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s replacement and the top attraction in Sunday’s race.
“When (team owner) Rick (Hendrick) said to me, ‘Are you coming to Indianapolis?’ I said ‘Yes I am. I am coming on Saturday,’” Gordon said. “He said, ‘Well, you better bring your uniform.’”
The improbable comeback takes place just a short drive from his childhood home of Pittsboro, Ind., and eight months after his official retirement.
He’s back for only one reason: Earnhardt continues to battle concussion-like symptoms and has not yet been cleared by doctors to climb back into the car.
When Earnhardt took himself out of the No. 88 last weekend, Hendrick contacted his long-time star who was vacationing in France. Gordon agreed to pinchhit when he returned. Gordon then texted publicist Jon Edwards, who contacted the speedway 15 minutes before the scheduled announcement.
For the Rainbow Warrior, this week’s pace has been every bit as frantic.
He flew to New York on Tuesday, then hopped on Hendrick’s plane, bound for North Carolina as Earnhardt was seeing doctors in Pittsburgh.
After landing in Charlotte, Gordon was whisked to team headquarters for a seat fitting. On Wednesday, the day it was announced Earnhardt would miss two more races, Gordon had a physical, applied for driver’s credentials and met with crew chief Greg Ives. Gordon spent the rest of the week watching Go-Pro videos, researching data and working in the simulator before practicing Friday. Qualifying will be held today.
“This is certainly the last thing I thought was going to happen, but I knew it was Indianapolis,” Gordon said. “I felt like if there was one place that I was capable of doing it, it would be here.”
How much can be expected from a 44-yearold driver who will make his season debut at one of the series’ fastest tracks?
“All I can tell you is that I have done everything I possibly can over the last three days to get ready for this race the best way that I can,” he said.
Gordon is the only fivetime Brickyard winner and can become the first driver to ever win six times at Indy.
He’s not eligible to make the Chase — even with a win — because he hasn’t competed in enough races. But if the No. 88 car makes NASCAR’s playoffs and Earnhardt is not cleared to drive, Hendrick could keep Gordon, who kept the door open to running more races if needed.